Asklemmy

Yes! I'm in my early 20s, and bought a manual transmission car just 2 weeks ago. It was also my first time driving alone, so it has been quite stressful

55M, Australia. I have a manual license, always drove a manual until my new-to-me car. I have osteo-arthritis and my knees hurt when I drive a lot, but I drive it like a manual with automatic clutch.

Scandinavian, mid-40's. The vast majority of cars in Europe have manual transmission, in my country you can't even get a driver's license if you can't handle it. I prefer manual, whenever I drive automatic I feel like there's something missing.

30, german, yes I can, no I do not. I drive a hybrid, so no manual transmission.

In the UK it's pretty standard to learn in a manual. I currently have an automatic and honestly I don't want to go back. I like to think I'm a pretty good driver and gears were never an issue for me, but man is it nice to have one less thing to think about when driving.

Oh and I'm 39.

First time I drove anything but a manual was driving the shitty trucks of the Swiss army. It felt weird and wrong, but then again driving with standard issue boots makes using the pedals a bit harder sometimes, so it's probably good I didn't have to use the clutch.

These days I mostly drive rented cars so it's whatever is available, who cares.

Yeah man. Australia. Mid 40s. My nieces have just started learning (we start here at 16). When I asked whether they were going to learn manual they said what's that?

Currently learning, it's useful for a lot of the light industrial jobs here

Yup, although I don't currently. It's my preference, but not a strong one. I'm 48 and American.

I don't really have a good reasofor preferring it. I guess I just feel more involved and in control. Fun story, I didn't learn to drive a manual until I was in my mid thirties.

Yes. I'm from Wisconsin, USA and bought my first manual car (2018 Focus ST) in 2021. I'm 29 years old and was 27 when I bought the car.

I'm actually about to sell that car but replace it with another manual car. My other car is an (automatic) 2020 Supra.

Southern Europe, 34. I only know how to drive with manual transmission (I tried an automatic city car once, and I literally couldn't exit the parking spot). I'm too used to control the car with the clutch. I should learn though, because I use car sharing services, and they are progressively replacing their cars with automatic transmission ones.

I drive an automatic but I learned with a manual and used it for years. I find manual impractical for daily use but I can use it if I need to.

32 years old, Italy

Midwest US, 48, and it's all I drive.

Yes (US, 35), and it’s something I can do autonomically in appropriate situations. I also enjoy being an integral part of my car’s operation.

And when you’re flogging it on a nice mountain road or a track, there’s nothing quite like nailing that heel-and-toe downshift as you’re clipping the apex.

My daily is an automatic but my old Magirus-Deutz is a special kind of manual. I’m 37 from Germany.

My first 4 cars were standard. As is every motorcycle I have owned.

Learned on a farm truck when I was 13.

Yes, but switched to auto for ease of use.

The worst manual gearbox, other than my MK1 Golf, was a single seater Formula Renault I did some track days in. Tiny little gate and very easy to hit 1st when going for 3rd

I learned how to but haven't been behind the wheel of a manual transmission car since the 90s.

In my family you couldn't get a drivers license until you know to drive any car and also the basics of maintenance. Other things I have't done since (roughly) the 90s: change my oil/coolant/brake/transmission, change various filters, replace pump seals, or replace hoses/belts. But I have to admit, its handy to know how to do all that.

42 Aus and this is a great way to get age and location details on accounts

Yes, had to learn when I moved to Europe.

Yes. I'm from the USA and in my late twenties. I learned how to drive on an old Jeep Wrangler on a farm.

Yes, Europe.

Yes. German. When I learned to drive, it was mandatory to do so on a stick.

No, but I also don't have a drivers license.

Does shifting on my bike count?

EU and I most definitely can (that may not be surprising). But funnily enough, I bought my first car a few months ago (I drove family cars only before - all manuals) and that one is the volume knob automat. I wanted to stick with manual (pun intended), but my fiancee convinced me and I have to agree that there's a certain comfort in automat.

Canada, 36M, can and do.

Yes, California, late 30s. I drove a manual transmission when I was a teenager. I was proud of how practiced I got with it. I don't drive manual anymore, but my dad recently switched back after some decades driving automatic. He found out he's out of practice lol

Yep, I'm in Sweden, 30 and both know how to and do drive a manual car.

I learned manual on a car with a fucked up transmission.

I made it to 39 without ever learning to drive a manual. At that time though my girlfriend had a manual. And one night she was too drunk to drive. So I managed to make it work well enough to drive us maybe a mile through luckily mostly empty nighttime streets home.

I later learned to drive her car for real.

Yes. Mid 40s UK. I have never owned an automatic vehicle, and it looks like there's not much in the way options when it comes to electric cars with manual transmissions.

Sweden, late 40's. Manual since I had my driving license (18). Driven automatic maybe 2-3 times in my life

Can drive manual, 30s, USA.
I had a particularly bad automatic transmission in my first car and went with a manual shortly after.

Yes. F, mid 50s, West Virginia.

US late thirties

I can but haven't in few years. Never been great at it though.

US, mid 30s, and nope. (I learned on a friend's car but didn't spend enough time for the muscle memory to build in, even way back then)